Could it be?
by jade30
Summary: What happens when Kasumi plays cupid? R
1. Prologue

I was going to post this as the first couple of chapters to "Behind the Answer," but decided that would require rewriting and moving the other chapters around.  I'm currently rewriting "Behind the Answer," but until I get it the way I like it, I thought this fic could work as a stand alone…at least for now.  =)

Ranma 1/2 characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

**Could it be?  Prologue**

Kasumi addressed the room with her usual quiet strength.  "Akane told me about what happened at Jusendo.  She told me about how she nearly died, and how it was Ranma's voice that brought her back."  Not so much his voice, but a needful plea, a heartfelt confession.  "Akane also told me that, despite that fiasco of a wedding," with this she glared at her father, "she thinks that she wants something more from Ranma and from herself."  Kasumi thought back to the conversation she had with her sister not too long ago:

_"He loves me Kasumi, I heard him say it.  He may not have said it out loud, but I swear to you, I heard it, I felt it, somewhere deep inside of me."  Akane gripped her skirt tightly.  "Before the wedding, when he came to my room, when he asked me why I was marrying him, I wanted to tell him that I love him too, but I couldn't.  I wasn't sure.  I feel something, I know, but I've never been in love before, how could I know what it feels like?  I couldn't tell him I love him, so I got mad instead, and everything, everything was ruined.  It was probably good that it never happened anyway.  When I get married, I want it to be for love…on both sides."  Akane was crying now.  "I know the engagement is just an agreement made by our parents, but I think it can be more, I need to know that it can.  But I don't know where to begin.  How do we start over?_

_And if we do get to whatever the next step is, who's to say that something won't happen to mess THAT up?  Even if we do somehow manage to get married, can you imagine what a circus that would be?  Nabiki would probably sell tickets to the honeymoon!"_

Kasumi straightened; her posture showed those around her that she meant business.  "I think that we should leave Akane and Ranma alone for a little bit, no interfering.  This means no more interrupting them when they get two seconds alone together, no more pushing them on each other, and NO MORE SURPRISE WEDDINGS!  Let them go at their own pace."

"But Kasumi," Soun interrupted as Genma opened his mouth to interject as well.

"At their own pace," Nodoka echoed, the look in her eyes as sharp as the sword strapped to her back.

A look of contemplation crossed Nabiki's face.  Despite all her past actions, she truly wanted Akane to be happy.  Why not use her talents to do a little good for others…just this once?  Besides, she thought, a catlike grin spreading across her face, I might actually enjoy playing Cupid.


	2. Chapter One

The song, does not belong to me.  "We Could be in Love" was sung by Lea Salonga and Brad Kane.  Ranma 1/2 characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

**Could it be?**

Akane shifted, trying to settle herself more comfortably on the roof.  Ranma glanced over at her.  "Do you want to go back downstairs?"

Akane shook her head.  "No…not yet.  I just had to get my circulation going again.  My leg was falling asleep."

"Oh really?" Ranma asked, his voice teasing.  "Are you sure it's just your leg?  Maybe the rest of you is falling asleep too.  What should I do to wake you up?"  A tickle attack ensued.

"I give up, I give up!" gasped Akane.  "We're going to miss the sunset, if you don't cut it out!"  Ranma reluctantly stopped tickling the girl next to him.  A smile on his face, he studied her for one more second before turning to watch the sun as it continued to sink below the horizon.

_Be still my heart  
Lately its mind is all its own  
It would go far and wide  
Just to be near you_

Akane pressed her fist to her chest and took a deep breath to calm herself; not from the playful antics of moments before, but for a different reason altogether.  There it went again, the seemingly audible thumping of her heart.  Couldn't Ranma hear it?  Was he just too embarrassed to say anything?  Lately there were more and more quiet moments just like this, no fathers dancing for joy at the thought that the schools would finally be reunited, no Amazons on bicycles appearing with surprise special deliveries, and no lost boys wielding bamboo umbrellas shouting challenges…just peace and quiet.

The peace and quiet had a positive effect on Ranma and Akane's relationship.  Since it seemed as if chaos had taken a welcome vacation from their lives, the couple was less prone to arguing, taunting, and head bashing.  Ranma had started taking Akane seriously in the dojo, while Akane listened carefully and held her temper as Ranma tried to teach her to become a better cook.

I like this, Akane thought.  It feels as if we really are friends.  Only friends, she added with a disappointed mental sigh, then shrugged.  It's a step better than arguing fiancées anyway.  

Akane breathed deeply yet again, trying to calm the jumpy nervous feeling that was jumbling her insides so much these days.  Think about something else, she told herself.  Something un-Ranma related.  Instantly, she remembered her morning jog, about how peaceful and still Nerima was so early in the day.  She remembered how she rushed home, eager to start the day, eager to see Ranma.  Inwardly she groaned.  How was it possible that every thought led to him these days?  What am I going to do about it?  What would I tell him?  How would he react?  Akane shivered at all the possible cruel and unkind responses Ranma could come up with if she asked him to help her understand what she was feeling.  

"Are you cold?"

"I'm fine.  Kasumi made me bring up a sweater…just in case it got chilly."

"Well…just in case that sweater isn't enough to keep you warm," he said, as he scooted around behind her so that she now sat between his legs, "maybe I better sit right here."  He wrapped his arms around Akane as she leaned back against his chest.

_Even the stars  
Shine of it, bright I've noticed  
When you're close to me  
Still it remains a mystery _

Ranma buried his face in Akane's hair and squeezed.  Could it really be this easy?  It was only a month since the failed wedding, only several weeks since Akane and he had agreed to think twice before calling each other stupid, pervert, or uncute in anger, since she agreed to listen to his side of the story before jumping to her own conclusions, since he agreed to help her, in the dojo and in the kitchen.  Since then, it seemed as if all the pandemonium that typically surrounded them had dissipated as well.  

Ukyo was traveling across Japan, gathering new recipes to "spice up" her restaurant's menu, the Kunos had announced some time ago that they would be indulging themselves with a visit to one of Japan's top health spas (although there were rumors going around that this particular spa had the best doctors and padded rooms), and Happosai, after hearing about how many women in Brazil walked around the beaches topless, took off for the foreign land…for obvious reasons.

This taste of normalcy evoked a thousand new feelings of Ranma.  He felt more lighthearted these days, more easygoing. The gentle teasing was so much nicer than the vicious name-calling, the laughter so much better than the yelling.  It was so easy to touch her now, to hold her hand underneath a pillow when they watched TV, to "accidentally" brush up against her if they passed in the hall, to hold her as close as he was holding her right now.  More often than not, he found himself smiling for no reason at all.  No, wait.  That was wrong.  His reason for smiling was sitting in his arms.  Although he was more than thrilled with the way their relationship was blossoming, he couldn't keep himself from wondering just what direction they were moving in.  Where do we go from here?  Ranma nuzzled the back of Akane's head.  I guess it doesn't really matter where we go…as long as we get there together.

_Anyone who's seen us  
Knows what's going on between us  
It doesn't take a genius  
To read between the lines_

Kasumi beamed softly as she watched Akane add another helping of food to Ranma's plate.  The look that passed between them, his soft whisper of thanks, was noticed by everyone at the table and, thankfully, no one drew any attention to it.  

_And it's not just wishful thinking  
Or only me who's dreaming  
I know what these are symptoms of,  
We could be in love._

Nabiki watched as Ranma looked quickly around the room before planting a quick kiss on top of Akane's head.  The middle Tendo daughter rolled her eyes.  The move was anything but subtle and yet somehow she could tell that Ranma didn't really care.  When her sister lifted her head to look up at Ranma, Nabiki noticed that Akane's eyes were bright, not with surprise, but with something else…tenderness, maybe?  Definitely, she thought with satisfaction, as Akane scooted closer to Ranma.

_I ask myself why  
I sleep like a baby through the night  
Maybe it helps to know   
You'll be there tomorrow_

Akane smiled contentedly as Ranma leapt out her bedroom window.  She had begun looking forward to their goodnight kisses…they were almost as nice as the good morning ones.  

_Don't open my eyes  
I'll wake from the spell I'm under  
Makes me wonder how  
(Tell me how)  
I could live without you now._

Could things get any better then this?  Eyes closed, Ranma listened to the sounds of his family.  There was the low conversation of Kasumi and his mother as they shared a cup of after dinner tea, the click clacking of the tiles as his father and Soun played shogi, and the murmur of Nabiki's television program.  Ranma sighed in contentment.  The weather had cooled considerably so they were stuck inside most of the time, but he didn't mind.  It made for more moments like this.  He looked down at Akane, who was curled into him, engrossed in a book, and sighed again.  

"Ranma, is something wrong?"

Ranma opened his eyes to see Akane looking down at him.  He tousled her hair and pulled her back down against him.  Now that he knew he wouldn't be forced into a tuxedo anytime he went near her, it was easy for him to show his affection for Akane around their families.  "Nope, everything is perfect…just perfect," he answered, as she snuggled deeper into his side.

_And what about the laughter, the happy ever after  
Like voices of sweet angels  
Are calling out our names_

Nabiki captured everything they felt one snowy afternoon.  Ranma and Akane were out in the snow, wrestling when Nabiki and her camera seemed to appear out of nowhere to capture their antics on film.  She snapped just one picture.  It was freezing outside, she complained, and disappeared, eager to get back to the warmth of the house.  The pair looked at each other. He had her pinned.  There was snow everywhere…in their hair, on their eyelashes, up their noses.  Their cheeks were stained red with cold.  Somehow nothing mattered anymore.  

Akane grinned at Ranma.  "How long do you think we can lay here like this?"

Ranma grinned back and touched his cold forehead to hers.  "How long do you want to?"

_And it's not just wishful thinking  
Or only me who's dreaming  
I know what these are symptoms of,  
We could be in love._

Akane laughed boisterously as Ranma swept her around the dojo in an enthusiastic waltz.  She was dizzy from the spinning, even dizzier from the joy.  "Slow down, Ranma!  I can't keep up!"  

Ranma grinned back at her.  "Of course you can, silly.  I'd never leave you behind."

In the next room, a group of people exchanged pleased glances.  Joyful tears streamed down the faces of Genma and Soun while Kasumi and Nodoka went back to the magazine they were flipping through, stopping every once in a while to admire a particularly pretty dress.  Nabiki went back to her books.  Hmm…I wonder if there's any money in the wedding planning business…

_All my life, I have dreamed of this  
But I could not see your face  
Don't ask why  
Two such distant stars  
Can fall right into place_

Akane looked up into Ranma's face.  All around them, the night seemed to be charged with a hypnotic electricity.  Although she had never said the words, everything she felt for him was there, coursing through her, and she knew he felt the same way…she could feel it in his touch, see it in his eyes.  It was at that moment that she realized she needed nothing else, no one else.  As his lips came down to meet hers, her last thought was that she could finally tell Kasumi that she knew what it feels like to be in love.  

_Anyone who's seen us  
Knows what's going on between us  
It doesn't take a genius  
To read between the lines_

_And it's not just wishful thinking  
Or only me who's dreaming  
I know what these are symptoms of,  
We could be in love._


End file.
